


when I see you I catch my breath, forget my sorrow

by addendum



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: The kids are in high school, background dadvid, cute skype calls, slowburn, the trio falling in love basically
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-12-18 19:14:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11881023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/addendum/pseuds/addendum
Summary: Max, Neil, and Nikki had always fit together like puzzle pieces. And they probably always would.





	when I see you I catch my breath, forget my sorrow

**Author's Note:**

> if you know what song the title is from I love you

Max's therapist had a globe that always sat behind her during their sessions. She would ask Max how he was feeling, and he would sigh and very pointedly avoid eye contact. And he would stare at that globe as he spoke.

"I'm the same as always." He said, but his eyes were on Poland.

"And that means what, exactly?" She asked. Ugh. None of Max's answers ever satisfied her. If she kept digging, he thought, she'd probably find something she didn't like.

"Sad. Angry. I don't want to do anything. I can't muster up the energy to give a fuck. I have a C in math, and that used to be my best subject."

The therapist frowned, leaning forward.

"I'm very sorry to hear that, Max."

Max's whole body shrugged. He still didn't care. He could just barely force himself to nod when this lady spoke.

"Have you had that meeting with Dr Cooper? To up the dosage on your medication?"

Max shook his head. Zoloft didn't do shit. One night he'd taken most of the bottle just to see if he'd die, but he didn't. He'd just thrown up the shitty cafeteria food he'd for lunch and spent the rest of the night feeling a little bit like an astronaut on his first trip to the moon.

"It's not until next week." His eyes moved down to Hungary.

Jesus, he thought. A million fucking places in the world I could have ended up and I'm here. A dimly lit shrink's office in Nowhere, Texas with a busted air conditioner and no windows.

"I really think this increase in medication is going to help, Max." The therapist said.

He shrugged. Yeah, okay, whatever. Fuck you, bitch. Stop pretending like you give a shit.

"Things between you and David are okay?" She asked.

"Yep." Max said simply, shortly. "My dad is great."

His dad was great. David was overwhelming sometimes, and Max argued with him about stupid shit constantly, but he was really good at being a dad. Especially for someone who had stumbled into it so unexpectedly.

"That's wonderful. You're so lucky to have such a good man in your life." She said, smiling kindly. "I have to ask you a difficult question now."

Max nodded, bracing himself.

"Have you had any more thoughts of suicide, Max? About dying?"

Max felt his chest tighten. This question managed to take him by surprise every time, and he never knew quite how to answer. If he was honest, he thought, he'd get Baker Acted. So he wasn't honest, not exactly.

He didn't tell her he kept a razor on his bedside table, just in case he ever got the balls to fucking do it already. He didn't tell her that suicide was always, always on his mind. The catch all solution, the easy way out. Plan B.

"Not really. No." He said, but his leg was bouncing up and down like a broke down car on a bumpy road. Nervous habit.

"Are you sure?" She asked skeptically, looking over the rim of her glasses and, it seemed, directly into his goddamn soul.

Max looked her in her eyes for the first time since the session began. They didn't seem to be fooled.

"I'm sure."

He looked back at the globe.

****

Nikki's hair looked like the aftermath of a tropical storm. It was a whirlwind of frizz and color and heat damage and Max fucking loved it. He loved that no matter where she was, or how old they all got, Nikki's hair was always a disaster. And he loved that she never seemed to notice.

Another thing Max liked about Nikki was her laugh. When something struck her as funny, she practically exploded. Her laugh was loud and wild and unapologetically obnoxious. It was as bright and messy as her hair. It sounded like summer.

The last time Max saw Nikki was about four months ago, pressing his nose against the window of David's Honda Civic and watching their sixth summer together disappear. She was bouncing up and down and latched into Neil's sleeve, never out of all that energy. Neil had just looked sad.

The best thing about Neil was that never fading air of fucking-better-than-you. For all his quirks and all his anxiety, Neil was brilliant. And he knew it. Max had never seen anything as simultaneously endearing and infuriating as that arrogant smirk Neil had when he knew he was right.

With most things, Max could convince himself that he didn't care. He didn't care about school, and he sure as hell didn't care about the assholes in his classes. He didn't even care when he got suspended last year. But when it came to Neil and Nikki, Max couldn't really convince himself of anything. Those two were okay. When they were around, things felt just a little lighter.

On the last night of their most recent stay at Camp Campbell, things hadn't felt so light. The prospect of leaving them again weighed on his chest like an anvil as he tried to sleep in the cot next to Neil's. There had been a sudden movement then, and a shadow tearing into their tent.

"Hey, you guys!" Nikki whispered, struggling to keep her voice hushed.

"Nikki?" Neil asked, though he knew it was her. "It's so late. What are you doing here?"

"I'm the only one in my tent who's still awake." She explained. "That gets boring really quickly. And besides, I missed you guys."

"Lame." Max commented, voice dull and tired.

"Do you guys want to play a game?"

Max groaned, covering his face with both hands. Of course Nikki wanted to play a game at one in the morning. Of fucking course. Who needed sleep?

"Nikki, are you legally insane? Losing sleep will be detrimental to our young bodies and minds!" Neil cried from his cot, propping himself up.

"You guuuys!" Nikki whined. "We need to spend every minute we have together before we leave tomorrow!"

Max and Neil were quiet, hating the reminder that they had to leave the next morning. How had the summer gone by so quickly?

"Fine." Max muttered, sitting up.

"Yes!" Nikki cheered in a whisper, pumping her first. Neil sighed. It was two against one now, and he really didn't have a choice.

"What game are we gonna play?" He asked exasperately.

Nikki plopped down on the tent floor in the criss cross applesauce position, grinning.

"Let's play Would You Rather!" She suggested, but it sounded more like a demand.

"Would You Rather? Are you serious? What is this, the fourth grade?" Max asked.

Nikki frowned disapprovingly, and he backed off.

"Sorry. You can go first, Nik."

She rubbed her hands together, cackling. Goddamn it, maybe they shouldn't have agreed to this.

"Neil!" She said, turning on her friend like a predator poised for attack. "Would you rather hang out with Harrison or Nerris for a day? I know you think they're both cute!"

Neil blushed in the dark. Harrison had been his first kiss the summer before, when they were alone together in the Quartermaster's store. Max and Nikki still hadn't stopped asking him if it was "magic".

"Nerris, obviously!" He scoffed, trying to play it cool. "Harrison is too far up his own ass to hold a real conversation with."

"I hear he's pretty good with his tongue though." Nikki teased, smirking wickedly. Max laughed.

"Ugh, whatever!" Neil exclaimed. "It's my turn. Max, would you rather lose your vision or your hearing?"

"Boo! Boring question!" Nikki said from her spot on the ground.

"Hearing, duh." Max said. "I wouldn't have to listen to anyone's bullshit anymore. Next!"

"It's your turn, Max." Nikki reminded him. "Give me a good one!"

Max gave it some thought, sifting through the file in his mind labeled Nikki. Doesn't like to talk about her mom. Prefers big dogs to small ones. Aha! He had an idea for the perfect question, tailor made to fit her unique intricacies.

"Would you rather never explore the woods again, or always wear dresses?"

Nikki hated dresses. She couldn't run, jump, or climb while wearing one. She moaned in what seemed like genuine distress, contemplating the decision like it was a matter of life and death.

"I guess wear the dresses." She said. "But only because I love the woods so mu--oh no! I couldn't climb any trees in a dress! I hate this question, Max!"

"It was your idea to play this game!" Max said, holding up his hands in a defensive position. "You were fully aware of the risks!"

"But I like to be the one asking all the questions!" Nikki whined.

"Good thing it's your turn, then. Hit me, Nik!"

Nikki paused, mulling over her options. She appeared to be taking this very seriously.

"Oh, I know!" She finally announced. "Max, if you had to choose, would you rather kiss me or Neil?"

Max stiffened. Huh. That definitely hadn't been the kind of question he was expecting. Nikki was so weird sometimes.

"What the fuck?" Neil asked with a nervous laugh, wringing his hands.

"What?" Nikki asked defensively. "It's just a question! That's how the game works, Neil!"

She turned.

"Max, you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Nah. It's fine. That is how the game works." Max said, looking thoughtful.

A mosquito flew near Nikki's face and she swatted it, nose wrinkled in impatience. Max smirked at the image.

He considered the question, glancing in between his two best friends. Nikki was sitting on her knees now and bouncing. Neil was hugging his knees. He could still picture them at ten years old, going along with his stupid escape attempts and always getting in trouble right along with him.

"I can't choose." He said honestly, and he couldn't.

"That's a cop out!" Nikki scolded.

Max shrugged.

"I don't care. I can't choose between you guys."

"Is it because we're both smoking hot?" Nikki teased.

"No." Max said, shaking his head. "It's because both of you are equally as annoying as the other."

"Fuck you." Neil muttered, slapping at the mosquito now on his elbow.

"It's your turn, Neil." Nikki said, yawning over her words.

Max thought she looked like a kitten, balled up on the ground and sleepy. It was kind of cute.

"Go to sleep, Nik." He said. "It's really fucking late."

Nikki opened her mouth to protest but was caught on another yawn.

"Fine." She said, standing up to stretch. "But I'm staying here."

"What?"

It had been years since they'd slept in the same tent, societal norms forcing Nikki to share a tent with Nerris. Not that she minded all that much, because Nerris's freckles were really cute.

"Move over, Max." Nikki said.

"Fuck you! This is my bed, you have your own."

Nikki walked over to his cot anyway, sitting by his feet. Max grumbled, knowing there wasn't any way he could change Nikki's mind once it had been made up. He rolled to the side begrudgingly, giving her more room. She laid on his left, pulling the blanket up to her chest.

"Goodnight!" She chirped, and the boys mumbled their responses.

They lay in silence for a few seconds, listening to the cicadas sing and knowing that nowhere else would ever feel this much like home.

"Neil?" Nikki said.

"Yeah?"

"Push your cot over to us."

"What? Why?"

"It's the last night."

Neil didn't need any further explanation. It was their last night at Camp Campbell, and everything that implied. Tomorrow was going to be miserable.

Silently, Neil got up and pushed his cot, joining it with Max's. Then he climbed back into bed, pressed against Nikki's side. Their combined body heat made the already warm night even hotter, but none of them really minded. Nikki's eyes were already closed, and Max and Neil made eye contact over her. Neil smiled nervously.

"Goodnight." Nikki said without opening her eyes, and Max scooted just a little bit closer, listening to his friends' shallow breathing and knowing something was on the brink of a change.

Max looked at himself in his bedroom mirror now, wondering how he could get rid of the bags under his eyes and rereading the note on his mirror for the millionth time. There was a post it stuck in the corner of the mirror reading "I love you, motherfucker. I can't wait to go on more adventures this winter! Sincerely, Nikki."

Max smirked. He couldn't wait either, for Nikki and Neil to visit him in January. It was gonna be the fucking best.

He turned then to look at his bedside table, at the razor. The last resort that felt like it was becoming more realistic every day. The first time he'd tried was two years ago, in eighth grade. He'd downed a bottle of sleeping pills with orange soda and collapsed on the bathroom floor. David didn't stop crying for days. Nikki bruised her knuckles punching a wall. Neil threw up in the hospital bathroom. Max had never felt more guilty. He really wouldn't have guessed that they'd be so upset.

"Max!" David called from downstairs. "Dinner's ready!"

Max stood in front of the mirror for a moment longer, picking at the scab left after he'd popped a pimple near his mouth. He hoped it would fade by Monday morning.

****

"Is that your girlfriend?" The kid sitting next to Max in his English class asked.

Max took a second to process the question, and another second to realize who the kid was referring to. He pointing to a picture tucked inside Max's binder of he and Nikki. In it they were sitting in the grass and laughing, probably at someone else's expense.

"Uh, no." He replied awkwardly. "That's my best friend."

The kid frowned, shaking his head in apparent sympathy.

"Sucks, dude." He said. "She's cute."

Max felt something unpleasant stir inside of him. God, something about that pissed him off. Nikki was cute, obviously, but that didn't mean he wanted to date her. They'd been friends forever, that was weird! And he hated that this guy was looking at her picture like that, like she was a particular tasty looking piece of fruit. Jesus, show some fucking respect!

"Yeah, I know." Was all Max said, returning to his textbook and keeping his head down.

****

"And then he said we were gonna have another test on Friday!" Nikki exclaimed, exasperated.

"Do you need help studying, Nikki?" Neil asked. "I can help if you want."

The trio was having one of their almost daily Skype calls, each complaining about the various annoyances they'd encountered since they last spoke.

"I think I'll be okay, but I'll text you if I need help. Thanks, Neil. You're the best."

"No problem, bestie."

Max suppressed a groan. 'Bestie' wasn't something Neil would ever say on his own, but Nikki had started it a while back and now it was some kind of private joke between them. Neil had actually forgotten how stupid it sounded.

Nikki sighed, slumping in her desk chair.

"I really miss you guys." She said."

"I miss you too." Neil admitted. "All the kids at my school are either idiotic or painfully dull. Or both. Mostly both."

"It's the same with my school." Max said, rolling his eyes as he remembered the kid from English class. "And with every high school in America."

"I guess you're right." Neil said thoughtfully. "I guess it's just the inherent nature of man to be stupid."

"Yeah, that goes for me too." Nikki said, looking offscreen. "My mom wants me to hang up and do my stupid homework. See you later, guys."

"Bye, Nik." Both boys mumbled in clumsy unison.

As Nikki hung up Max and Neil were left to stir in the silence she left behind. She had a habit of taking up all the room in a conversation. Max and Neil both liked the quiet, resting together instead of alone.

"How are you, Max?" Neil asked after a few seconds had passed. The question's wording was a little formal for two friends of six years, but that was just Neil's way.

"I'm fine. School sucks, but things at home are good so it evens out."

"Right. But how are you...feeling? Is the, uh, medicine working?" Neil asked, awkward in a way that was both typically male and typically Neil, squirming under the hot lights of raw emotion.

"Oh!" Max exclaimed, and it felt almost involuntary. "The medication's alright. No side effects. I should be getting my dosage upped soon."

"What?" Neil asked, knitting his eyebrows together. "You're raising the dosage? So that means they aren't working?"

Max hated talking about this. It made him feel as though he was on an examination table, sprawled out for everyone to see the worst parts of him.

"Kind of. I don't know. This shit is kind of complicated sometimes, I guess."

"I don't think it's complicated, Max!" Neil exclaimed, fingering his curls like he always did when he was anxious. "I think it's crystal fucking clear! If the medication isn't working, you need to try a different kind! Try Prozac! I think that's supposed to work!"

Max took a deep breath. He knew Neil was only trying to be helpful, but this was making him nervous. It felt like a lot of pressure was being put on him to be happy, and that just wasn't something he was very good at. He rubbed at his temples absentmindedly, searching for a response that would satisfy Neil.

"I just have to try this first, okay?" He said, trying not to sound irritated. "But I seriously am trying. I go to therapy every week."

Neil seemed to sense Max's discomfort with the subject and backed off, forcing his face into something more relaxed.

"That's good. I'm sorry I got frustrated, Max, I just worry about you. Nikki does too. It's even harder when you're so far away." Neil explained gently.

Max swallowed a lump in his throat, nodding. He really didn't want to talk about this anymore. Seeing how upset Neil was made his stomach hurt. He hoped he could live the rest of his life without seeing his genius best friend look so unsure and so scared.

"How's your science class, Neil?" He asked. If there was one surefire way to distract Neil, it was this.

Neil's face shifted into an expression of confusion, and Max could just about see the gears turning in his head as he contemplated whether or not he could let this subject drop. Max gave him a subtle look of pleading.

"It fucking sucks." Neil finally said. "The teacher's a moron! I could teach this stuff more effectively than her any day!"

Max smiled. He had absolutely no doubt that that was true. Neil continued his rant, imitating his teacher and gesticulating wildly. Max chuckled periodically, and hummed in agreement at the right parts. After twenty more minutes of rambling, Neil had tired himself out.

"I think I'm gonna go, Max." He said. "It's getting late. Thanks for listening."

"Anytime." Max said, waving a hand as Neil hung up.

He rolled backwards in his desk chair for a second, remembering how anxious Neil had gotten as he spoke about the medication and remembering how the threw up in the hospital. Max stood from his chair, walking to his bedside table. He picked up the razor and removed its blade, tossing it into a nearby waste basket.

****

David flipped through the TV guide, clicking past infomercials and low budget comedies. He was hoping to find a good nature documentary. Max sat next to him on the couch, typing away on his phone.

"Did you check Animal Planet?" He asked, not looking up.

"I checked there, Max, but the program they were showing looked far too gory. I don't understand why everyone thinks they have to show all of that blood in their shows nowadays!"

"I don't know." Max said, trying to sound a little exasperated. He had an image to maintain, after all. David didn't really buy it, though, because no one was forcing Max to sit next to him.

"Well, here's something!" David said, staying on the history channel. "It's not about nature, but it still looks interesting! I just love learning about the American Revolution! It makes me so proud to live in this beautiful country! Don't you feel the same, Max?"

"George Washington had slaves." Max remarked, voice dry. David's eyes widened.

"Oh my!" He said. "I certainly wasn't aware of that! Maybe we should watch something else?"

Max smiled at the expression of perplexed white guilt on David's face.

"You can leave it on." He said.

"Well, if that's okay with you!" David said. "I really do find the Boston Tea Party just fascinating!"

"Yeah, it's cool." Max said, reading the text Nikki just sent.

David frowned. He wanted to spend some quality time with Max, but he wouldn't even look up from that dang phone.

"Who are you texting, buddy?" He asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Nikki and Neil." Max said. "Neil's mom made him go to the beach and he hates the beach. He already has a sunburn.

"Poor Neil!" David said. He was prone to sunburns too, and he knew how badly they could hurt. "He should try spf 50!"

"Maybe, yeah." Max said.

"And how is Nikki?" David asked. He'd always held a fondness for her. She loved nature as much as he did!

"Nikki's okay. She hates school, though. She's really excited to come visit us next month."

"Tell her I'm excited too!" David said. "You three are gonna have a blast!"

"Hey, dad?" Max asked, and this time he finally looked up from his phone. He looked hopeful.

"Yeah, Max?"

"Do you think we could get Sprite and Cherry Coke for when they come? Those are Neil and Nikki's favorite drinks, and I want to surprise them." Max asked.

David was shocked. Huh. Max rarely thought about other people like that. He wasn't as mean as he was when he was younger, but he still had somewhat of a mental block when it came to considering the feelings of others. It was something he had to work on. But then again, Neil and Nikki always did bring out the best of him. Talking to or about them was one of the only times he got very animated.

"Is that okay, Dad?" Max repeated, and something was different now. He looked almost sheepish, running a hand through his hair. And he was...blushing? Oh. Oh! A bell went off in David's head.

"Of course. We'll be sure to stock up on Cherry Coke and Sprite." He said.

"Great! Uh, thanks." Max replied, sending another message to the group chat.

"No problem. Hey, Max?"

"Uh huh?"

"Have I ever told you about the importance of STD prevention?"

****

"That sounds good, Nik. Just those few spelling mistakes. Other than that, you should get an A."

Nikki had just finished reading Neil an essay she'd been assigned in third period,  
looking for his opinion.

"Thanks, Neil! I really appreciate the help! My mom will kill me if I fail this class."

"You're not gonna fail, Nikki." Neil assured her. "Hey, is that all you needed? Because I'm supposed to help my mom make dinner."

"Um, would you mind giving me your opinion on one more thing?" Nikki asked.

"Sure thing. It's not like I'm in any hurry to make a lasagna."

"Okay, great! Just one second."

Nikki ran offscreen, grabbing a dress off a hanger in her closet. Hurriedly, she pulled off her tshirt and jeans and yanked on the dress. It was a blue sundress, with white flowers wrapping their way around Nikki's ribcage. Taking just a second to reposition one of her French braids, she went back into the view of her laptop camera.

"Woah, Nikki!" Neil exclaimed.

"Do you think this looks okay?" Nikki asked, feeling suddenly insecure. This dress was a little shorter than she thought.

"You look incredible! That color looks amazing with your hair! But why are you wearing it? You hate dresses.

Nikki felt herself turning red.

"The basketball team is having a banquet on Friday. No jeans allowed."

Neil smiled.

"You look beautiful, Nik. Seriously."

Nikki was turning redder by the second. Why was her mouth so dry?

"I-um-I have to go." She mumbled abruptly, flustered.

"Oh! Okay. Goodnight. Talk to you tomorrow!"

Nikki nodded, not trusting herself not to stutter if she opened her mouth. She hung up quickly, trying to figure out who had released a cage of butterflies into her stomach.

Miles away, Neil sat in his own bedroom thinking about the way Nikki's curves fit into that dress and wondering the same thing.

"Fucking hell." He muttered to himself, slapping a palm to his forehead.

****

Max was laying in bed, trying to fight off the constant flow of negativity in his brain for long enough to get to sleep. God, he hated when this happened. He had to go to school in the morning, and it was going to be even more hellish than normal if he hadn't slept. His phone buzzed, and he groaned. Despite his better judgement, he checked the notification. The light of the phone lit up the room.

The message on his lock screen was a text from Nikki, sent to the group chat semi ironically entitled "squad goalzz" by Nikki herself. The text was in all lowercase letters, an immediate warning sign. Nikki always typed with caps lock on. The text read "hey guys. can I call? something happened and I'm sad".

Max frowned. Nikki was sad? That was a rarity. Nikki's childhood joy had transferred into young adulthood mostly unscathed, but she couldn't stay completely a kid forever. There were times when hurt feelings and disappointment couldn't be avoided. Max's phone buzzed again. It was Neil, also sending to the group chat and telling Nikki she could call. Max hastily typed his own response, giving her the okay.

He flicked on a lamp and reached for his laptop, opening Skype up on his screen. Within moments, Nikki's contact appeared. Max plugged his headphones in and accepted the call. Nikki had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and her head, and she looked something like an Eskimo. Neil was wearing flannel pajamas.

"Hey guys." Nikki said, and her voice sounded as upset as her text.

"What's wrong Nikki?" Max wondered. "Are your parents fighting again?"

"No." Nikki said, and it was the most solemn either of the boys had ever heard her. "It isn't about them. It's these boys at school."

Neil made a sound of disgust, rolling his eyes.

"Is it that Brandon guy again? Because he's a little pussy bitch." He said. Nikki just looked kind of confused.

"Neil, that guy hasn't spoken to me since, like, the fifth grade." She said.

"He made fun of your hair, remember? What a shallow fucking prick. If I-"

"Nikki, what happened today?" Max asked, cutting off Neil's impending rampage. Nikki sighed.

"So there's these two guys who switched into in my history class this semester, right? And they sit right near me. I thought they were cool at first but then they started making all these comments. Do you know what I mean?"

"What, like, saying mean shit to you?" Max asked. Nikki sighed again.

"Not exactly. They just keep saying stuff about the way I look. My body, I mean. They keep talking about my ass or whatever. I told them to cut it out, and they won't. I think it's funny to them when I get upset."

Nikki looked on the verge of tears now, and her face was bright red. Fuck. Max had never seen her like this. He wanted to murder the assholes who were making the most confident person he'd ever met so uncomfortable in her own skin.

"Those cunts!" Neil hissed before Max could say anything. "Nikki, you have to report this to the principal of your school. If you don't, I will! Sexual Harassment is a serious problem!"

Max nodded. He'd seen David defend countless women being hassled by creeps on dates or on the street. And men who decided to make rape jokes within his earshot always got a stern talking to.

"Yeah, that's fucked up." Max agreed. "You don't deserve that shit."

Nikki sniffed, still looking miserable. Max got the urge to hug her, which wasn't an urge he had very often. Or ever.

"This is one of those times when I wish we all went to school together." Neil announced. "If those guys said anything to you when I was around, I'd knock their lights out!"

Nikki giggled through her brimming tears.

"You? Getting into a fight?" She teased.

"You'd get your ass kicked." Max pointed out, and this time Nikki really laughed. The big, boisterous laugh that Max loved. The kind that some dicks at her school couldn't get rid of they tried. Nikki had more power in that laugh than those two idiots had in their whole bodies.

"But I could totally beat them!" Nikki exclaimed, and she could.

"I think you should beat up all the creeps who think making women feel unsafe is funny." Neil said.

"Oh! I should!" Nikki's eyes lit up. "I could start a whole company that trains women in self defense! You know what I could call it?"

Max grinned. "What could you call it?"

"Nikki's Ass Kicking Emporium! It's gonna be the best!"

Max smiled as his listened to her plan this business endeavor, all of her ideas tumbling out in an unrestricted flow of pure passion and energy. Thank God, he thought they lost her for a second. And they could never lose her.

****

"How are things at school?" The therapist asked. Shelly. That was her name.

"Mediocre." Max said honestly, fiddling with a loose thread on his jeans.

"Try and be more specific, Max. What parts do you like?"

"My English teacher is okay. She's kind of funny."

"That's good! It's always great when you find a really good teacher." Shelly said.

"I guess."

"What parts don't you like?"

"Everything else. I don't have any motivation, so my grades all suck. I don't have anyone to talk to because I suck at making friends. In all, my academic experiences all fucking suck. /p> "You have trouble making friends?" "It's not that I have trouble, I just--can't. I don't even know where to begin. How do I start a conversation with a stranger without looking like an over eager, greasy haired creep?" Max asked, the volume of his voice rising.

Shelly smiled sadly, sympathetic.

"Maybe you could find some people with common interests. Join a club?"

Max sighed.

"No. All the kids at my school are too stupid to talk to anyway."

"That can't possibly be true, Max. I'm sure there are some really cool people in your classes."

"I don't think so."

"Do you have any friends at all, Max? I hate to think that you're lonely."

Max looked her in the eyes, brightening just the slightest bit.

"I have two. I've known them for six years now. We're really close."

"They go to your school?'

"No, unfortunately. They both live a couple hours from here. We met at camp."

Shelly smirked. She'd heard a few brief mentions of Camp Campbell.

"I guess that camp isn't as awful as you've told me." She teased gently.

Max smiled a little, embarrassed.

"What is it that you like about your friends?" Shelly asked. This was the most enthusiastic she'd ever seen Max, and she wanted to hear more about this facet of his life.

"Well, Neil's a genius. Seriously. He's so smart that it's annoying. He always has the perfect solution to any fucking problem. He can be kind of dick, but he's still cool. We have a lot of shit in common, I guess."

Shelly nodded, grinning now.

"It makes sense that you would be friends with someone so smart. You're very smart too, Max. Very articulate."

Max shook his head.

"Not like Neil."

"Hm. Well, what about your other friend? What's he like?"

"She. Her name's Nikki. Nikki is...energetic. She's very confident, and very secure. And she's almost always happy. Sometimes I wish I could be a little more like her, honestly."

Woah, Shelly thought. Max never opened up this much. These kids must be really important to him.

"Nikki and Neil sound great, Max." She said gently.

Max nodded.

"They really, really are."

****

The sidewalk in front of Max's house was stained pink with smudged chalk, and he thought the tye dye of childhood was reminiscent of Nikki's eyes. Nikki, who would be here any minute. She and Neil were meeting at a rest stop 2 hours out and coming here together.

"Are you excited, Max?" David asked, practically bouncing in the driveway. He loved having visitors!

Max rolled his eyes.

"Fucking duh." He mumbled, too embarrassed to make his excitement known. But David knew anyway.

Finally, Max thought. Everything would be cool for a week. Well, not cool. His friends were anything but cool. But it would be fun. Maybe not always fun. But things would certainly be interesting for a little while. When the trio was together, things never failed to be interesting.

"Max, look!" David cried. Max's head snapped up.

The first thing he saw was a flash of green hair, wind whipped and hanging out the window of a pickup truck. He grinned.

"Maaaaax!" Nikki cried, practically climbing out of the moving vehicle to reach him. Neil sat next to her with a much calmer smile on his face, rolling his eyes lightheartedly at her antics..

David, like Nikki, looked ready to fucking explode with excitement. Seriously, he was bouncing. He was the only grown man Max had ever seen actually jump up and down like that when he was happy. It was...sweet, in a way.

"Hey, guys!" He said.

Neil's mom pulled the car to a stop, and Nikki was out of the car in two seconds flat, wrapping Max in a bear hug that nearly brought him to the ground. She was at least four inches taller than him, and strong as hell. After the initial shock Max relaxed, putting his arms around her midsection and mostly just relaxing into her body heat. She felt warm, and familiar, and soft.

"I missed you so much!" She said when she let go, and Max laughed.

Neil followed behind her, carrying both of their bags and sweating. Texas heat didn't stop just because it was winter and neither did Neil's teenage hormones. Max reached out to Neil almost involuntarily, one arm outstretched. He was immediately embarrassed. Jesus, way to look desperate. But Neil reached for him too, and they shared a much shorter and slightly awkward hug.

As David chatted with Neil's mother and Nikki linked their arms together and begin chattering about the drive, Max wished things could be like this forever.

**Author's Note:**

> comments make me really happy! also go check out my Tumblr @insanelycoolzoemurphy


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